Verizon gets official with Network Extender: $249, no monthly fees
By Darren Murph 
posted Jan 25th 2009 12:02PM
posted Jan 25th 2009 12:02PM
Right on cue, Verizon has launched its very own femtocell into the world: the Network Extender. For those unfamiliar, this here box connects to one's broadband internet connection and essentially acts as a mini cell tower right in the home. In other words, it'll make your at-home VZW coverage absolutely amazing. Unlike Sprint's AIRAVE, though, there are absolutely no monthly fees attached -- simply plunk down $249.99 up front and watch your signal improve. As for limitations, you can only use this within the Verizon Wireless Enhanced Services coverage area (read: not overseas), and there's no support for EV-DO data speeds or Location Based Services such as VZ Navigator and Chaperone. It's available now for ordering online or over the phone, and all the nitty-gritty details are covered in the FAQ section linked below. So, AT&T -- you're next, right?[Thanks, Anonymous]
I don't really see the point of these, if I am in my house then I have a wifi connection, which I can use for calls. Is there some difference in the US to the UK?
None of verizon's phones support calling over wifi. So this acts as a mini-cdma tower. So to all of their phones, this looks no different than a normal tower.
These are for people like a coworker of mine who lives in a farming community. When he enters his house, his cell signal pretty much go's dead. Unfortunately he doesn't have broadband yet, but he tells me that's coming soon. Once he gets hit broadband, this device would resolve his cell coverage issue. So why not just get IP phone service? That would cost more $$$.. Why not just use the cell phone you already have?
Why not?
Because you'll still be using Verizon minutes to use you cell phone on "their" network...
More and more people have ONLY cellphones. No VOIP, no landline.
For example, I only have my cellphone now. I get decent coverage upstairs, but in the basement where my office area is, I can barely push out a text message. Calls are out of the question.
Im considering getting one of these, because I would finally have complete coverage around the house. However, Im turned off by the $250 price.
actually, if you were to spoof a US IP from oversees... would this then work?
No one cares.
Wankstain.
I love how we are now paying to put up "towers" to get better reception rather than phone companies paying to upgrade their systems and networks.
One word: Recession!
I'm not sure you seem to understand the point of this. It's for use IN THE HOUSE.
For example, at my house, if I stand outside my front door, I can get full bars on my phone.
If I go inside, I get from 2 bars down to 0 with no signal. No matter how many towers Verizon decided to erect around my house, my signal would still suck inside the house.
Unless your how is mead of lead you will get a signal if there is a tower properly place the signal goes through the building. Even if you say someone lives in say an apartment and thats why their signal is low, fine. Why are YOU the one paying to put a tower in your apartment? Why are you paying to pug into to use your bandwidth, or electricity and money to expand their network? Are they taking something off your bill since your are using your resources to expand their " best network." If you get it in your place, it will probably work for your neighbors or do you think it just works on your phone. However you see it you are paying to do their job for them. Unlike say Tmobile at home which you pay for and get unlimited calls when you are at home. Don't get me wrong I have verizon but I'm be damned if they beat me for another $250 to expand their network for them.
I would suggest you check out the webpage, "There is no need for a new phone. The Network Extender works like a miniature cell phone tower in your home." and "Easy to install. Plug into your high-speed Internet connection and place near a window. Sign in to My Verizon to create your optional managed access list."
Is that not you paying $250 to expand Verizon's network for them at your expense and your bandwith.
smcallah, I disagree unless your walls are made of lead (and thus the explicit cause of the poor signal). Good cell reception permeates walls. Period. This is better than Sprint's pathetic offering, but it is still very much about trying to make the customer pay directly for usable reception. If you're in the boonies, then okay, I almost buy it. If you're in the middle of a large MSA, then you shouldn't have to do this. If they claim coverage, then provide it. I'm actually almost okay with paying a couple hundred bucks with no monthly fees. But Sprint, my lord, charging a hundred bucks and then a $15 or $25 fee PER MONTH for the privilege of allowing you to use my broadband connection to make your coverage tolerable is simply pathetic. IMO, they should be giving these away to try and get customers who would not otherwise have connectivity.
Responding to Paul:
I'm not sure if you understand the fees charged by sprint. The $15-$20 is optional if you want to add unlimited VOIP minutes to your plan. Otherwise they do have a monthly fee to have the device, it is $5 a month, which is sketchy depending how you look at it. But if you do call up their retentions dept you can get the device for free and have the monthly fee waived. That is what I did.
But the way to look at the fee from sprint is that the Airave costs them $200 to manufacture, and they sell them for $100. So to recoup the cost of the Airave they charge the monthly fee. While Verizon just charges the full cost up front. So in essence you end up paying the same amount from either provider.
also, there are some areas that for some reason refuse to allow phone companies to setup towers. for example i live on the north shore of long island, and the town i live in dosent allow cell companies to setup towers, so the nearest tower you can get a signal from is in connecticut.
@ Chris - wow, your town is run by douchebags!!!
Re: Not getting a signal indoors
You don't need lead walls to block a cell signal. The building my apartment is in has a layer of stucco over a rather thick brick wall, and the stucco is applied to a layer of metal mesh attached to the brick. This seems to act like a Faraday cage, since the nearest cell-tower cluster is less than half a mile away, line of sight, and I can't get any signal unless I stand in from of a window.
Tyson,
"If you get it in your place, it will probably work for your neighbors or do you think it just works on your phone."
You can manage the settings to give priority or only access to authorized phones.
I understand your reasoning, but there are also problems such as mountainous regions. Unless they put a tower on every mountain top near your house, you can still have dead zones with towers very close by.
I agree that cell providers should provide adequate access but a decent signal outside can quickly degrade to unusable when a building is made of brick or other heavy materials, and that's not really Verizon's problem.
At least they don't have the gall to charge monthly fees like sprint, that's a little ridiculous.
Seems that America's Best Wireless Network™ needs a little boost here and there.
Note for the slow: I love Verizon's service in Cleveland, I just hate their shitty custom firmwares.
Blackberries don't have the custom firmware. Well neither does WInMo, and on blackberries with the newest OS GPS is free.
Wait, what? WinMo phones don't have custom firmware? Maybe you should take a trip over to xda-developers...
I agree, especially prior to this smart phone revolution. For instance the original Razr had great software that ran good on T-mobile and ATT, yet Verizon botched it with their own firmware that made navigation inherently difficult. I could never understand why they would do that.
Zelatio - what the OP was reffering to was VZW's crappy look-same-on-all-phone firmware.
Of course smartphones will have their own offerings, cause VZW doesnt lock them down as much as they do their dumbphones.
What a sad byproduct of our twisted little competitive world!
The one thing that is better about the Sprint's AIRWAVE is that you can pay the extra 5 or 10 bucks a month and all calls on it are free. So for like an extra 10 bucks a month on your cell bill, you can ditch your landline and get unlimited calling from your house.
"Right on cue, For those unfamiliar, In other words, Unlike Sprint's AIRAVE, As for limitations, So, AT&T -- you're next, right?"
Dude, commas.
Would these work?
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?MfrId=2521&Nav=|c:1739|&Sort=0&Recs=10
They're cheaper too!
Those cell phone repeaters only work in places where you can get at least a little signal, even if it craps out. I got one last year when I had a basement bedroom, and it worked great. The great thing though is that they aren't locked down to a specific carrier or geographical location.
They're kind of ugly though...
That's a repeater, this is using your internet connection to provide what is basically another cell tower, this will work where they is no reception, the things you linked to need something to repeat.
No fee? They should PAY ME. I'm going to use my internet access and pay the electric bill for it. So shouldn't they be paying me for extending their network for them?
Considering you're the only one who benefits.... NO!
No, I'm not the only one who benefits. Verizon benefits by continuing to have me as a paying customer.
If Verizon wants to be released from their duty of having coverage where I actually am, they should pay for the privilege by discounting my service.
LMAO...why not the ls2/ls7 is just another example of the typical American consumer. "it's all about me!" Everything I say goes.
Part of our cell phone bill is for the network. If Verizon weren't providing the network I would use a cheaper voip service. If I'm paying for the minutes, electricity, Internet, and the box, then I'm being ripped off.
@ GundamWingEW
I don't see how "why not the LS2LS7?" is wrong. Isn't product and services all about consumers?
LMAO. If I'm setting up my own network, what am I paying Verizon for?
I don't get the American crack. Like people in other countries like paying money for nothing? I've been to a couple other countries, and no one I spoke to seemed interested in giving away money.
I don't get any signal in my house and my contract is almost up in a month or two. Do you think I can get them to give me this for free if I tell them I might leave for a competitor?
Yes
Go with sprint man, they will give you a similar box for $99 and on top that offer you a unlimited plan for $10 so you won't use your airtime while at home, they charge a $4.99 monthly fee but they will wave it for you. The verizon box is nothing but a extender for something you should be getting for free with no really advantages to you only for them
You could point out that pretty much any carrier you switch to would probably give you a free $250 phone with the contract.
So they want me to pay $249 so they can give me a service am already paying for & on top of that they also wanna piggy back my bandwith which i pay out of my own pocket? I think a better deal will be to take $175 and pay a ETF and just go with someone who can give me the service and a better deal. I hope AT&T does at least something similar to Sprint which gives you unlimited calling for $10 otherwise they can keep their box, also 5000 square feet is really bad it's like 70 to 80 feet from the unit lol.
It seems to me that you should get free air time when connected to the extender but Verizon would never do that.
If you have a smart phone with WiFi you should not even require this device. You calls should go through the WiFi.
They allow you to manage who can use the extender but yet other can still use it although you priority users will cut them off. It should be that ONLY the priority users can use it period.
Can other carriers roam on these or is VZ only?
Brilliant question. A sprint customer could force their phone to roam and get one of these. Hmmm very interesting.
That's what I'm saying ! Get my boss to buy one for himself and then leach off of it.
What a joke, this is just another scam to make money. Fuck you Verizon.
Blocked overseas? Really? Wanna bet!
I'm guessing you have military commo background?
Like me, lol...
Good luck with that. The units have a GPS antenna that to have a clear view of the sky. Trying to fake a GPS signal may prove harder than you think :D
This is more restrictive than that. This device only works where it can receive Verizon service. If you can't find any coverage at your house, you can't use this. And since you won't be able to get any Verizon coverage overseas, this won't work overseas.
This information was posted in the previous discussion of this device on Engadget.